The White House has invited senior Democratic lawmakers to a ceremony where representatives from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain will sign an agreement with Israel to normalize relations on Tuesday.
A senior administration official told reporters Monday that a large number of Democrats were invited to the signing ceremony scheduled to take place on the White House South Lawn on Tuesday. The official said that at least some Democrats were expected to attend the ceremony, but did not offer any names.
President Trump helped broker a historic agreement between the UAE and Israel to normalize relations in August. Last week, Trump announced that Bahrain had also reached a deal with Israel to normalize relations.
A historic day @WhiteHouse today as @POTUS & leaders from #Israel, #UAE & #Bahrain will meet for the #AbrahamAccords signing ceremony & recognize the historic normalization agreements between these countries & peaceful partnerships across this region. #IsraelUAE #IsraelBahrain
— Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) September 15, 2020
The parties will sign the agreement, dubbed the “Abraham Accords,” at the White House ceremony Tuesday, marking a notable diplomatic achievement for Trump. The agreement between the UAE and Israel received bipartisan acclaim when it was announced by the White House last month, according to The Hill.
The presence of Democrats at the ceremony will be a rare sight.
Today is a HISTORIC day at the White House!
President @realDonaldTrump welcomes the Prime Minister of Israel and the Foreign Ministers of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates for the signing of the Abraham Accords!
🇮🇱 🇦🇪 🇧🇭 pic.twitter.com/l5O0mCk398
— The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) September 15, 2020
A few hundred guests are expected to attend the outdoor ceremony on Tuesday, and masks are recommended but not required amid the coronavirus pandemic. Members of the foreign delegations will be tested for COVID-19 prior to the ceremony.
The senior administration official said all three parties will sign one document, the “Abraham Accords,” and that the parties would sign bilateral agreements with one another to cement the agreements.
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The deal between the UAE and Israel represented a significant breakthrough in diplomatic relations between the two nations as the Trump administration works to facilitate cooperation between Arab nations and Israel. In a surprise announcement from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump announced that Bahrain and Israel would also normalize relations.